Just when I thought I was done writing blog entries about concerts and shows that I have recently attended, I became eyewitness to the weirdest thing I have seen on stage.

I know that there are some bands out there that have done stranger things, but this was something I personally saw.

September Mourning was the touring headliner. But local band, Resisting Vegas, was the winner of the night.

Costumes and props are the standard, but this will take it to the next level.

Rico Kallirgos of Resisting Vegas

Resisting Vegas was in the middle of a lengthy guitar solo, and lead singer Rico Kallirgos stepped off stage briefly and when he emerged again, he was struggling to lift a very large bag of what looked like to be pet food of some sort.

It was dry cat food.

He knelt down and began to tear into the bag to open it. When he got it open, his fist plunged down deep inside of the bag. The audience was intrigued and some where terrified as they did not know what was going to happen next.

Fistfuls of cat food were then placed into a plastic container.

Then he stood up with the container in hand and he reached for a large wooden spoon, and proceeded to eat it until the end of the guitar solo.

He ate so much of it that when it was that final moment to say thank you to crowd, he still had cat food in his mouth.

One band stole the entire show.

After it was over, many people said that they were scared that he was going to throw the cat food. But none of them had expected him to actually eat it.

He admitted that he never told the rest of the band of what he was going to do. Some of them not really knowing what was going on when it was happening.

“Keep Austin Weird” they say.

Well done, Resisting Vegas. Mission accomplished in keeping that city tradition proud. The bar has been raised.

“Point me out the happy man and I will point you out either egotism, selfishness, evil – or else an absolute ignorance.”~ Graham Greene

I was sitting there one evening in the passenger seat of someone’s vehicle, very frequently looking down at my cell phone and responding to text messages that were coming in faster than I could respond, based on the fact that an event was unfolding before me as I sat there in the darkness looking out at a back door of a club. My only goal was to “watch the car” as they had put it. The doors were all locked, the keys were in the ignition still and I was jamming out to music of my choice while I waited.

Very long moments had gone by before I was startled by a pounding on the window from the driver to let them back inside of the vehicle.

From that moment on until the end of the evening, I was chewed out that I “was not doing what I was told to do.” Instead my nose was uncharacteristically buried in my cell phone.

I explained I was getting frequent updates on a situation that they knew about. And that I kept looking up from time to time and saw nothing to be alarmed over. Nothing “bad” ever happened to the vehicle. I was able to “watch the car” without having to put eyeballs on it 100% of the time.

Before I go on, I will say this: the law of averages is most likely on Draiman’s side. What he said was in fact true. It is rude. However, for those of us who weren’t there… those of us who aren’t this person that he so heroically called out, we honestly don’t know what exactly was going on. All we know is what we get from Draiman’s side of things that is muddled in frustration.

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been in conversation with someone and at some point during that conversation, their attention went immediately and straight to their phone. And yes, that is rude.

But this woman, whomever she is that Draiman bawled out, was asked (more or less) what she was doing that was more important. The problem is, is that in these situations, audience members are NEVER allowed the chance to respond in order to defend themselves and/or their actions. By the time the obvious rhetorical question came out of his mouth, the entire audience reacted against her and therefore she was unable to answer or respond back.

This woman either had her own emergency happening at the exact time she was there to enjoy the show. Or perhaps she was giving directions for more fans to arrive. It could have been any number of things that was going on.

My mother and my grandmother both taught me when I was young that if someone is doing something that you don’t like – don’t look at them. Maybe Draiman should’ve heeded those words as there were certainly other people to concentrate upon rather than one woman who had her face buried into a cell phone.

One CAN enjoy music without using their eyes. However a concert is supposed to be both audibly and visually stimulating. At least in my experiences, they are.

Like I said, the averages are on Draiman’s side. This woman could have simply been rude as he proclaimed. But we don’t know that for sure. We don’t know what she was doing. And the sad thing is, is that we will never know! Not unless this woman comes out publicly to defend herself. And I have doubts that she will.

And these things (no matter how rude we find them) are going to happen.

SXSW is officially over for 2015. More than a week and a half of celebrities, films, actors/actresses, and some darn good music.

Heart of Texas Rockfest ended with an appearance of One-Eyed Doll.

They currently are on tour, supporting “Witches” their brand new CD. A concept album that released on the 24th of March.

Luckily for us fans attending SXSW, a copy of the album was available for purchase.

One-Eyed Doll’s show was (in my own opinion) the best way to wrap things up for the entire Festival.

Sufficed to say, that things were looking up for me as I was able to obtain a better seating position than I had before back at the Dirty Dog Bar last September at the end of their 2014 Summer Tour. I was not right up against the stage, but I didn’t really have to be. It was quite the improvement on all levels. And it would end up having some perks.

The stage performance from Dharma Kings right before featured the HELL KATZ dancers. Some now I can call friends. But I soon realized that if I didn’t move to the other stage, that my spot in the crowd was going to be less than desire. So I felt bad for abandoning my friends, and yet I moved back over to the empty and waiting stage.

As the show began, I took one final look behind me and realized just how many people were there behind us all. I had never seen that before at Heart of Texas Rockfest.

The crowd let out a roar when Kimberly Freeman began to play the intro music. And sure enough after the introductions, the band played their standby tune “Committed.”

It appeared as if the party had started and the One-Eyed Doll train was blazing away from the station on no particular course of direction. Wherever it would go, it would go.

At the end of the song, Freeman usually jumps off the stage and mingles in with the crowd and resumes to move around and head bang. Since the stage was at least four feet up, I didn’t know if she was going to and if she did, how was she going to get back up?

But she did it. And landed right in front of me.

When she looked up, she saw me. A big smile drew across her face. She raised up her hand in between playing her guitar and caressed the left side of my face and cuddled it for a moment. Then she hit the next guitar chord and then moved beside me and did a back bend to the point where she was practically laying in my lap. Those back bends and how she does it, I’ll never know.

She then would go into the middle of the crowd and come closer to finishing the song. Then she had to get back ON stage. How was she going to manage?

It didn’t matter. She got up there just fine on her own. But before she did, she came back my way and once again acknowledge me. I reached out for her as she half way embraced me. Then she grabbed my One-Eyed Doll VIP pass that was hanging from around my neck, then let it go with an even bigger smile. I blew her a kiss and then she jumped up on stage and finished playing. The kiss was captured by a photojournalist from axs.com!! It is posted there. (Go ahead, I’ll wait so you can look it up. All done? Good… let’s keep going.)

The show went on with some classic tunes for those fans who were familiar with the band. Needless to say that it has not been very long for me to have joined this party. I would say about nine months. But the more fabulous thought is that it was my SECOND SHOW in SIX months, and my SECOND VIP.

I just don’t know how many more VIP passes I am going to be able to afford in the future. I may have to let some go, if not all because of financial reasons, not because I don’t want to.

I digress.

Freeman did ask the crowd if there was any one there who was experiencing their first show. I was surprised to see so many hands and fists and horns go up into the air. And that was just in my general location… who knows exactly how many people behind us raised their arms into the air.

Freeman began to address the crowd about their newest album, “Witches.”

The entire album is based on the Hysteria and Witchcraft Trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. One-Eyed Doll performed “Black In The Rye” from the new album. They also introduced super very special guest bassist John Moyer from the band Disturbed.

Yes…. THAT band! (Down With The Sickness, Remember, etc. etc. etc. etc. They are currently on hiatus.)

The entire album and its history has a very interesting and intriguing story behind it. Some that explore one particular theory in how the witchcraft mania even began.

Nonetheless, “Black In The Rye” is extremely catchy. It gets into your head like the so-called demons and spirits of the children of 17th Century Salem.

Even more so, that John Moyer was more than happy, happy, happy to join in on the vocals during the chorus.

Moyer and Freeman are perfect together on stage. The energy climbed as Moyer and One-Eyed Doll told their tale.

Thankfully, John Moyer did stick around for the rest of the show. I grabbed a photograph with him, thinking that it would be my one and only opportunity to do so. He didn’t say much but smiled and I thanked him for the opportunity and complimented him on his performance afterwards.

The rest of the show magically erased away time and space, it seemed. The show ended around midnight and it felt okay, it felt right to end SXSW in this way.

But all truth be told, I was very nervous about the whole VIP situation. I attempted to extract information from as many people as possible to figure out what was the plan for it all.

The first time, involved a bunch of going from one place to another, and I wasn’t able to do that since I was on my own this time without any help. My fears would subside when “Junior” gave me the quick and general idea of what was going to happen.

So I marched on over towards the merchandise table, since that is where Kimberly Freeman led the crowd over to, in similar fashion of the Pied Piper. Smart. I think that’s how all shows are ended. But the crowd does get some actually face time with Freeman to talk, share, laugh, buy merchandise, grab an autograph and even some photographs with Freeman. And Junior if he stood still long enough and you were able to grab his attention.

I had done all of my “One-Eyed Doll” shopping before the show started. I was there as the merch table was being set up.

I bought one t-shirt and then I wanted to get a CD, but couldn’t decide on which. I was asked how many I had already…. and the answer was NONE.

Melinda, the merch girl, was more than happy to help me in that decision process. Melinda worked a great deal for three albums. This is what I ended up with:

DIRTY
HOLE
WITCHES

Ummm… do you see it??

Yeah. So after all the laughing stopped, I requested Melinda for an autograph. But I had no paper, no book, nothing for her to really sign. She looked at me, puzzled and confused. She gasped nervously when I told her that I wanted her to sign my forehead. There was this collective sound from all of the surrounding fans who heard me voice my request. It was the sound of a collection of mandibles hitting the ground.

When Melinda realized I was serious, she began to shy away. But then she was able to have enough courage to sign along my temple. But in small letters. Complete with smiley face. Suddenly photographs of my head were being taken. It was then discussed about whether or not Freeman would do it. There was mixed opinions. Some said she would, some said they weren’t sure.

So I went in line to wait to get a meet and greet with Kimberly Freeman… just to find out.

I spoke with Kimberly and she called me by name. I didn’t think she’d remember it. She sees so many people while out on tour, why would she remember me of all people? But she does and she said she could never forget me. Naturally, I would be lying if I didn’t say that brought on a good feeling.

Kimberly noticed Melinda’s autograph on my head and then I presented to Kimberly the challenge.

The response I got was “We’ll see about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and Kimberly grabbed my head, tilted it back a little, rubbed my forehead, and began to do her tattoo work on my skin. Having no clue what she was writing. She could have written anything from “I’m retarded.” to “One-Eyed Doll rules!”

I got extremely lucky. But again, the supporting fans who were around were laughing nervously while standing there in shock to what Freeman was doing.

I heard so many people commenting about how it was never going to come off, and that I would have to stay this way for the rest of my life.

But it was ink. Albeit, permanent marker. I knew that I would live with it for a while. But not the rest of my life. Ink on skin doesn’t work that way.

After that, “Junior” grabbed an even larger permanent marker as I requested for him to “pile on” to whatever I had going on. I saw him grab that really thick marker and I thought that I was going to be in a world of shit.

More photographs were taken. And you know what, it doesn’t matter what was on my face. It is the fact that I was standing right there next to Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll…. on purpose. And she was standing next to me.

Although I wanted to make a public apology to Kimberly Freeman for almost having her cry. I took too long in setting up a punch line to something funny.

I was talking about all the different activities that I will never be able to do in life: run a marathon, jogging, and even stage dive.

But I realized that if I go down a very, very, very steep hill… by the time I reach the bottom, I would have gained enough speed that when I crash at the bottom of the hill… my body will eject from the wheelchair and I will go flying ………. just like a stage dive.

So Kimberly, I’m sorry I nearly had you in tears. X’s and O’s..

I got out of the way of some other people who were waiting, even though I had more to express to her. I figured that I would have time to speak to her more during the VIP party.

Hoping that the VIP would worth the price that I actually paid for… being that the first VIP access was given to me by someone who had an extra pass.

But I do have my very own autographed, kissed, and bitten (all by personal request) copy of the new album. I’ve been listening to it as I have been writing this blog post. And there’s been plenty of times it has given me a serious case of goosebumps and the urge to cry my eyes out.. knowing the history from which the concept is coming from. I may do a review for it in a future post. So stick around.

“I feel very proud to be an ambassador of Mexican music. Wherever I go, I will always bring my mariachi. It’s what I grew up with. It’s what I love the most.” Alejandro Fernandez

Finally. After my debut of seeing these bands play the same night and stage together, it was six months before it happened again.

The only difference is that VITERA and Mariachi Las Coronelas came and fused together to make The Tequila Rock Revolution. Combining Mariachi music with pure steady rock and roll.

They were playing at the all famous and infamous Stubb’s BBQ. A venue who has hosted such musical acts such as Blue October, Billy Idol, and They Might Be Giants. It a true Austin landmark. One that many people who are from out of town know about and make any excuse to visit to be able to scratch it off their bucket lists and boast that they’ve been there.

Well, now I have too.

However over the past six months, I’ve learned more about these bands and its members on a personal level through some sort of communication via social media. So I guess it was more personal for me to be there rather than fanatical. People would have known me when I stepped in.

As the time drew closer and closer, I was getting more and more amped up to get there. And then I realized that while I was getting ready that I could not find my camera. I’m notorious for having it. I’ve been told so.

In a small and brief few moments of pure frustration, I tore apart my apartment pretty damned good in order to find it. It’s still in disarray even though I did clear the path to the front door so I can get in and out. OOPS!!!

When the camera was found, I tucked it away and bolted out the door to go wait on the bus. But now bus rides are twenty-five cents more since mid-January. And they’ve become more interesting as I have been starting to “get used to” being terminated and kicked off the bus. Same bus line, same destinations, everything. Different drivers. However, I will leave that for another time and another post if you want to hear all about that.

I cautiously boarded the bus and realized that I was missing a dime when I should have had exact change. Buses only take exact change. I got fortunate that the bus driver had changed for a dollar for me to replace that missing dime. I was in his debt in a sense. Not a good start to a potentially awkward situation if I was going to be kicked off the bus for a third time in a row.

But we took off and we hadn’t gone a mile and a half down the road and the bus driver was cracking me up so hard that I couldn’t stop sweating. Everything out of his mouth was pure comedy fricking gold and his impressions were stellar.

Thankfully he would not be the only stellar thing that happened.

I had a feeling that I didn’t even need to bring along my earphones to keep me occupied and entertained for the long journey. And I was right. The bus driver and I kept going back and forth and back and forth. Probably there were six other people on board at the very max at one given time. It wasn’t crowded or anything and I just kept talking and listening to him.

The next thing I knew, we were passing by the hospital and that was my cue to start paying attention to make sure that I notify the driver exactly where I needed to get off the bus.

The bus driver busted me up again when he said: “Oh I’m sorry that I kept you from your nap. Shit!”

The guy started to like me, and I him. He encouraged me to take the Night Owl bus lines on the trip home, because there was a 50/50 chance I’d be picked up by him again.

I got off the bus and I just hauled ass towards Stubb’s BBQ. And as expected I showed up just a bit too early. Doors weren’t open and there was a huge fricking line waiting to get inside that wrapped all the way up north around the block. I just knew that I was screwed.

It would come to be known later that the show was SOLD OUT.

I totally forgot to take a photograph of the marquis sign outside. It was looking nice.

But I slowly made my way closer to the front door and with reticence approached the line, trying to figure out which end was which. Then some “guy with a clipboard” came roaring outside, wristbands in the other hand. He was checking people in line who already had tickets. Hoping to make things smoother when they opened up the doors to separate those who had tickets purchased in advance versus people looking to buy them at the door.

I flashed my printed off receipt and showed it to the gentleman. He checked it and then asked if I wanted to be upstairs or downstairs. I said that I wanted to be next to the stage and without missing a beat he turned around and told me to follow him and he led me inside of Stubb’s BBQ. I heard the awful and very profane snarls and grunts of discontentment of those left outside standing in line.

I don’t normally do this, but I turned quickly back around and shouted “I’m with the damned band!” And then ran like hell to get inside. I did get away with it. But I probably won’t every time I do it. So it would definitely behoove me to stop while I’m ahead.

I was lead through a path that was twisting and turning at every corner. Then an elevator of old school proportions lowered me to the the lower level and I found myself in the room that was holding all the merchandise tables for both musical acts.

Right away, I was recognized by members of The Tequila Rock Revolution… by name!

I must have made a mark with them or something.

After that, I went and I stood my ground and picked out a spot where I was going to be for the duration of the entire show. By the looks of the line that I totally passed by outside, it was definitely going to be crowded with tons of people and if I moved away like I did during One-Eyed Doll, I knew that I would lose my spot. So I clamped down and refused to budge.. regardless of how many careless people bumped into me or spilled their drinks down my back.

I was then reunited with a person that I met at the first show six months prior. She looked amazing. She had a different friend with her and we kind of stuck together during the show.

Adding VITERA to members of Mariachi Las Coronelas was an stroke of musical excellence. There was an added trumpet player as well. With him and Vanessa Del Fierro aka Mariachi Doll, and Stacey Mazuca from Mariachi Las Coronelas, the entire set was rocking and getting on board the crazy train before the end of the first song.

Haydn Vitera & Vanessa Del Fierro

I heard someone behind me screaming “Hang on for dear life!” and I looked to see what was going on and if I needed to be concerned about it. They were simply talking about the show. The crowd was deafening with its applause. And again, after ONE song.

I often get lost and forget about all of Haydn Vitera’s huge musical talents. I know he plays guitar and he has that magical invention of the electric violin that everyone gasps in awe for. But sitting just about directly before his feet I could hear his voice carry from his mouth as it carried into the microphone. But for me, I didn’t really need the microphone to help hear him. I could hear him clear as day.

Haydn Vitera has the kind of vocal quality and clarity that I would almost kill to have. And I often forget about that. Every time he stepped back up to the microphone, he nailed everything that came out of him.

Dan “DMFC” Corona shredding guitar and a supreme job on bass with Nacio Malo. Everything came together like it was made to be.

Naturally the incredibly beautiful and extreme talents of Stacey Mazuca on guitar and Mariachi Doll on violin. They both helped out one another, playing each other’s songs on stage. Mariachi Doll is currently in the studio. And from what I heard, I’m going to be rushing and running over people who are in my way to go buy the album.

I cannot count how many times that it got so loud and noisy without the crowd even being prompted. Especially during applause at the end of a song.

I honestly hope and believe in these people. I truly want for them to be able to reach out and touch the universe. One person at a time.

From south to north and west to east and back again. Across the oceans and time, The Tequila Rock Revolution is a sound that you have NEVER heard before. I guarantee it. And once you do…. you’ll be left to hear so much, much more.

Can you handle both talent AND beauty?? If you think you can, reach out to find The Tequila Rock Revolution today!!!!!!!!!!!

“Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood.”~ George S. Patton

I don’t know what’s going on with this composition as it won’t indent for paragraphs so screw it.

Well I made it. My third visit to the Dirty Dog Bar in all of seven days.

FEAR CONTROL was on the bill and I had already paid for my ticket inside, but the day would prove a challenge to get there.

The whole of downtown was completely shut down and I had no idea as to why.

What was going on? I started to get subtle hints by the various people climbing on board the bus that I was riding on to get to the Dirty Dog Bar.

It apparently was something big. But I wasn’t 100% sure. I would find out for sure in the most humorous of ways.

I got to the venue and I had notified half the band that I may not make it due to problems earlier in the day. But there I was strong as ever.

LIVING THE WARRIOR LIFE.

When FEAR CONTROL got on stage, I was literally shaking with excitement. And I would not be let down. FEAR CONTROL is known for taking chances, adapting, and moving forward to find what is right for them and their audience. Whatever it was that they did, they did it hard, fast, and correct!!

“Toe Cam”

There was this feeling of never wanting to drop down The Horns. You always wanted to have them up in the air. Or a fist or whatever. And if they asked to see something in the air, everyone willingly obliged.

It was fantastic to watch. There hadn’t been this much energy at a FEAR CONTROL in a while. It was a sigh of relief to know that it was there again.

After CASKET OF CASSANDRA burned down the place on Wednesday night, FEAR CONTROL took hold of the reins and destroyed everything else that was still standing until it was nothing but smoldering ash.

My younger brother once said that FEAR CONTROL sounds like the band Death Angel and that they needed to contact Death Angel about maybe doing some shows together. And I finally see what he was talking about.

The best moment coming from when guitarist and vocalist Kash Sarkaria got up on his (what I call light box) and I had positioned my camera by his feet. He kept his pose while playing guitar until the flash went off.

“OFF WITH HIS HEAD”

I have never heard a crowd go so insane for FEAR CONTROL like that before. It was intense and the energy flowed throughout everyone. Both band and audience.

But I wasn’t feeling well. FEAR CONTROL exploded everything when they played my favorite song of theirs, “OFF WITH HIS HEAD” and before I knew it, I was blowing out my own voice to sing the chorus OFF WITH HIS HEAD, BLOOD MUST BE SHED.

Its kind of a way of communicating with guitarist Frankie Rodriguez. I will say the first part when I first see him and he’ll reply back to me with the second part. I love it. Now if I can only get the new nickname that I came up for Kash to actually stick!!

After their set, I left feeling miserable and in pain. So I took off. I took photographs with most of the band and then I was gone. What caused such misery will coming up soon in a future blog post.

Many thanks to these guys for putting up with my whining last night about how I might not make it. Thanks for them for being such a elite group of badasses. Until the next time!!!

“The last act is bloody, however pleasant all the rest of the play is: a little earth is thrown at last upon our head, and that is the end forever.”~Blaise Pascal

When I heard that CASKET OF CASSANDRA was doing a show, I knew that I wanted to go.

When I heard further that this would be the final show for CASKET OF CASSANDRA for 2014, I knew that I HAD to go.

There was no debate to it. Get there or get gone. Granted that I totally suck and left after they played, but sometimes you just cannot stay out all night and you do what you can. I’m just glad that I went out and SKIPPED band practice.

Again under the threat of rain, I very happily ran outside early in the evening and arrived far too soon. Without any notice, the first band dropped out and so everything was pushed ahead one hour. And that included what time the doors opened.

I went to a place called Casino el Camino to get a bite to eat. I promise you this much for sure. Not even under the threat of death would you EVER get me to go back in there and order food from them again. NEVER.

But I wasn’t out of my dwelling because of food, I was out because of music.

Music that I had not seen in a while. Probably since Independence Day.

If doors were pushed aside one hour to open at 7:00, the people at the Dirty Dog Bar have been doing a piss poor job at time management.

This is the second time that I have gone to the Dirty Dog Bar and the second time to find their doors locked and closed when it posted notices were stating otherwise. They need to wake the hell up. And yes, if you cannot tell already: I am getting pissed off about it.

With the first band dropping out and everything pushed ahead one hour, CASKET OF CASSANDRA would start the early evening off.

I jumped right up front dead center. Its like my second home at the venue. And I never get bothered by anyone. I could speculate why but there’s no time for that right now.

Riles Olacsi (left) and Amanda Maddera (front and right)

I kept hearing from my talks with all of the band members individually that the set was going to be a heavier set list and what not. I kind of assumed that they would not play my favorite song. And to be honest, I would not be surprised if they just stopped playing it because they have this new album out “Day Four” and they’re going to focus on the newer material. (I had learned my lessons about expectation with “Zero Hour” from SIX MINUTE CENTURY.) However, there was to be other tunes performed that I enjoy just as much. So with that information, I was PUMPED UP to see this show!!

I will admit that I spoke to their guitarist, Riley, and told him that “Day Four” was the scariest album I had ever heard.

I don’t know if he read the blog post about it when I first got it, but now he was getting feedback in verbal form. And it was exactly the feedback that he was craving deep down inside. All of that put aside, I was ready to hang on for the wild ride. But I simply would have no clue as to what was truly lying before me.

There simply was no telling at all. The band knew the set list, but nobody knew what the results were going to be. The band wasn’t even sure if the crowds were going to enjoy it.

Sure enough, this set was insane and Amanda Maddera looked as if she had gone insane faster than a tear drop falling off the cheek of the lonely. The contorted facial expressions that Maddera let off were totally intrusive and I sat back thinking “Wow!”

I really began to think (or at least ponder) whether or not Maddera snapped into insanity or if she is just that good of a performer. Riley too, was quite the shocker when he was all over the stage. Stomping, marching, kicking everywhere he went. And it just didn’t seem to stop.

There were times where I, myself was so into the music that I could have cared what the scores of people behind me thought. And I think that is kind something important for me to remember when I go out to venues and clubs and bars. I don’t drink, so I’m not there to do that… but I will go there to listen to music by people that I know and bands that I love. Besides if you spend too much time at a show worried about what people behind you are thinking, you’ll destroy your self confidence to pieces.

I’m getting off subject. Hang on here.

The more and more the set went on, the actual scarier it became. Amanda would often come front and center on stage and be directly standing in front of me while on stage. And of course, I panicked again… not knowing what she would want me to do as far as audience participation. Put a fist in the air? Raise the horns? Scream and shout? I just don’t know. To each their own, they say. And its so true. I just have not figured out what Maddera insists on during their shows.

Suddenly the swarm of chaos came over the entire band. Everyone was doing their own thing, but it was completely in disharmonious harmony. They didn’t all do the same things on stage but it all fit.

And they ALL began to look like they had lost their minds. It was a sight to behold. I couldn’t make my camera’s flash go off quick enough because as I am trying to capture one person’s facial expression, I lost another one by the time I finished with the first one and would have to wait to see something else come up.

Quinton Rivera bass (left) Isaac Holliday guitar(right)

However, CASKET OF CASSANDRA did not disappoint. By the middle of the set, all members looked possessed by the spirits of heavy metal music.

Ladies and gentlemen: This………… is what I enjoy when it comes to metal bands. This “appearance” of fear, domination, and total and complete insanity just puts all kinds of charges through me. And it works that way every damned time.

Patiently I had been waiting for those songs that I had heard prior to them starting the show.

“Day Four” which is also the name of their new album has some nasty-creepy elements to it. Honestly it scares me to pieces. I NEVER listen to that album after dark. NEVER. And they played it LIVE!!!

Finally towards the end, the best had been saved for the last! Well, at least in my opinion.

“The Kraken’s Reign” and “Nail To The Head” rounded up the set.

THE KRAKEN ARISESIT FEEDS ON YOUR SEASICK SORROWAND WITH ITS AWESOME MIGHTYOU MIGHT AS WELL BE 20,000 LEAGUES BELOW

Yeah, you gotta love that. Even if you don’t like heavy metal and it sounds like a lot of syllables that don’t belong. That imagery of fear and looming death is just a killer thought to have go on in your head. Especially once you had been believing that the entire band had gone insane. Including drummer, Chris Campagna who was sweatier than the whole band combined times twenty. He works so damned hard at his job. Its admirable.

Someone remind him (or me) he owes me a broke drum stick from the show. I called dibs.

Then “Nail To The Eye” which I’ve not heard since July. It never gets played live the same way twice. NEVER.

GLASS BONESPAPER SKINFRAGILE AS FUCKFACED WITH STICKS AND STONESYOU’RE SHIT OUT OF LUCK

Again. Classic lyrics. Would love to know who wrote the words to these last two songs. Just for giggles and common knowledge.

CASKET OF CASSANDRA has never honestly been a band to disappoint. As much as I stay positive when reviewing or discussing other shows that I have been to, I usually stay away from the negatives because who wants to read a bunch of negative crap?

With CASKET OF CASSANDRA, I’ve not once found any negative experiences.

Bands will often talk to me after their set and talk about their errors and mistakes that they made when they were playing. I don’t get that from COC. Honestly, I wished that other bands would stop doing that because hardly anyone notices those mistakes. Unless they are all assholes.

COC though just takes you by the face, scratches it off, and feeds it back to you with every spoonful that is a musical note that they play. Every chord, every note is another spoonful of your own face.

Amanda Maddera however did catch me way off guard to the point where I just sat there helpless. She had crawled down onto the floor of stage and slithered over the monitor with microphone in hand. Her hair was over her face and her brutal monster vocals were screeching everywhere. It was to the point that I honestly could hear the screams even without the microphone dead set in her face.

But her slowly moving over the top of the monitor freaked me right out to the point of literal terror. She looked like the thing from “The Ring” that crawled out of the television set. Only this time there was no television set and she was heading straight for me.

I had no idea what to do. Should I attempt to catch her? Should I grab a hold of her so that she didn’t just fall face first onto the floor? And for the love of all things good and happy — why the hell was she giving off the appearance of horror?

If I had taken a photograph of it, you ALL would know what I am talking about. But I was too much in this state of fear and uncertainty to think straight and clear to know to take a photo.

Again, it has to be great performances by Amanda Maddera. And by the entire band actually. When they finished and said good night… they came off the stage and were all smiles. A bit winded and exhausted, but smiling pretty big. One has to wonder how they could go from excitement to pure evil and back to contentment again.

It is sad to hear that this will be all that they will do on stage for sometime. They will have some other dates that will be out of town. But nothing locally. And yes that stinks but this time of year apparently is difficult to gather everyone together.

I still am looking forward to the next time they will play here locally. One never knows and something might come up where they could believe that they could play. They aren’t going anywhere. And if they never make it locally as they have been thinking, they will come back stronger than ever in 2015.

This my second show in four days. It seemed pretty hollow and empty after being at a One-Eyed Doll show which crammed the entire venue last Saturday. But again I don’t need to be worried about who is there and who is not there. And I will be back again for #3 this coming Saturday for FEAR CONTROL.

This means three shows in seven days. All various bands. And I’m rocking out to each and every one of them!!!! So if you need me, you know where I will be.

“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.”~Paulo Coelho

Part II – One-Eyed Doll.

The first difficult lesson that I learned was never to move from your spot if you got a good place in front of the stage, if you are at a One-Eyed Doll show.

Being a local band, there’s plenty of people who were there for One-Eyed Doll specifically. I’d like to think upwards towards 90% of the crowd was there for them.

And I had never seen Dirty Dog Bar that packed with people. I probably said that in the last post. I was the only person there wearing a NANCY SILVA PROJECT t-shirt. And I wore it with total pride, against the oceans of One-Eyed Doll shirts.

But this was my first time for One-Eyed Doll. And I have been watching videos on YouTube for the past two months or so just trying to familiarize myself with the band.

The only real connection I was able to make was listening to two songs called “You’re A Vampire” and “Committed.”

When the show started, I was so far deep in the back after trying to find Nancy Silva to hang out that when I attempted to reach the stage that nobody would move so I got pushed over to the side of the stage closer to the restrooms, watching the show from behind. Watching Kimberly Freeman’s back the entire time, unless she marched over towards the side of the stage before going back up front.

I missed the silly introductions and realized that the first song that they were going to perform was “Committed” and right from the start I found myself in a spot where I would know this first song, but nothing more… unless she performed “Vampire” and she did not. So everything else was new.

One-Eyed Doll. Photograph by M. Eagle (I was sitting directly behind and to the right of the guitar stand with limited visibility.)

I just didn’t know what to think about this entire show. Filled with silly props, silly banter, silly lyrics, and silly stage presence. But it worked. It turns out that Kimberly Freeman and Junior are actually incredibly talented musicians who makes silly turn into gold.

I kept wondering if she was the female rock and roll version of Weird Al Yankovic. I just couldn’t take a lot of the lyrical content seriously and come to find out, you aren’t supposed to.

During “Committed” she kept up with her high kicks. I had previously asked on her official Facebook page how many kicks she predicted to do during the entire tour. I received the answer of “One Million.” I’m tellin’ ya though, with as many kicks as she did during that first song, I am pretty sure she came close to hitting that mark.

There was quite a bit of audience participation, including allowing members of the crowd to join her on stage.

From my searches on YouTube, I noticed that there was a lot of gross stuff too. Spitting and screaming the demeaning of others by humiliation. Even one video a few years ago where she had one man on stage with her and she just up and slapped him then spit on him.

Freakin’ gross! Can you say “assault” charges?

Who in the world puts up with that? Who in the world thinks that’s great entertainment?? The members of the One-Eyed Doll nation. Although sufficed to say that there was no spitting. No slapping. But plenty of audience members on stage to dance and dress up in silly costumes. There was also plenty of audience participation to scream out phrases like “Yee-haw!” during songs such as “Be My Friend.”

One audience member was brought onto the stage and it was announced that it was his birthday weekend. Come to find out that it was the same person who gave me the VIP pass earlier as a gift. So he got to hang out during a song or two. The One-Eyed Doll nation is a very close and supportive group, whether they are from Texas or from Tasmania or Toledo.

Poor Kimberly was met by one member of one of the earlier bands that was on stage before her. He was so drunk that he just made his way up the stairs and stood right next to her. Her sound technician played a dual role as he pulled the slobbering guy off the stage and away from Kimberly. All she had to do was stand there and keep her distance. And I wondered that with all the audience invitations of joining her how many times people who were drunk would misunderstand her and just show up as this guy did? How many times has that happened?

Towards the end of her 90 minute set, she sang “My Little Bus” which I am still conflicted by, lyrically. But musically its catchy as hell. I knew that one, but that was it as far as familiarity was concerned.

I still had a bouquet of roses that I had planned to give to Kimberly but I did not know how I was going to do that. I could throw them at her feet on stage but she could have used them as a stage prop and then in the end they would be destroyed. Or someone else might have taken credit, and that’s never good.

At the end of the show, Kimberly encouraged her fans to follow her to the back of the venue near her merchandise table, which was LOADED with goodies. I just was too damned poor to buy even a $3 sticker. But then again, the sticker is THREE dollars. But having the crowds follow her reminded me of the Pied Piper.

It just stinks that a majority of the items that are cool and can be used to wave the flag were $20 or more. And it sucked because I didn’t have any money for that.

Kimberly Freeman and Junior stood by their merchandise table and was available for photos, autographs, and simple conversation. But there were splintered lines coming towards Kimberly from at least six different directions. It just never seemed to move because you couldn’t tell where people were coming in from.

Me with my camera which was beginning to run out of batteries and I just was not into any position to stop and search for the extra batteries that I had brought with me. If I had done that I would be distracted from the lines and lose my place whenever it decided to move.

Plus when people were done with meeting Kimberly they did an about face back into the crowd which I thought was stupid. I felt as if they should have made a path to go around the outside of the crowds who were waiting to talk to Kimberly rather than go back into the same crowds by going back the way you came.

People were expecting ME to move out of THEIR way- and that just wasn’t going to happen. Your dumb ass should’ve gone around the outside and now you are wedging me and my wheelchair between you, the merchandise table and a stripper pole which is located in the middle of the floor out of nowhere. This is not my problem nor my fault. You should have gone around.

Then I got closer and closer to where I could actually see Kimberly Freeman sitting there.

She had a very unique way of deciding who she would see next. Nevermind the rule of “next in line” especially since there were about six different lines coming in from different directions.

Kimberly would stare blankly ahead and stick her index finger into the air and whomever touched their index finger with hers, was next.

It was like some twisted, light-hearted game of E.T. Phone-Home. Minus the part where her fingertip was supposed to light up.

Me and my roses on my lap, playing around with my camera and realizing that the life of the batteries were extremely low was not a game. I had a surprise in store for the person ahead of me in the line that we both were in. They were short and I have long arms so I was going to reach around and touch fingers with Kimberly and take my turn. Besides, I was losing precious time wanting to do another one hundred and two things before leaving the venue and getting ready for the VIP party.

But my plan would not work. Instead, Kimberly saw me crushed against the side of the table with people looming over me from all sides, basically trapping me where I sat.

Kimberly looked and saw me and then I heard “I am going to come to you.” She got off her chair and moved to my side and hugged me. Even after being on stage for an hour and a half, moving around under those hot stage lights, her scent was still a bit intoxicating.

I gave her the roses and for the rest of the night was in shock and disbelief that someone gave her roses. Constantly asking if they truly were for her. Not even Kimberly Freeman would remember the old traditions.

Then I picked up my camera but nothing would happen. The batteries were just dead by the next time I turned it on. So I had to accept the substitute of someone taking their cell phone and taking a photograph of Kimberly and I together and then having that person text it to me, in which I had to text it to someone else who would e-mail to me so that I would be able to post it to the Internet.

I remember very clearly and vividly that Kimberly was so touched by the flowers that tears formed into the corners of her eyes, but the tears did not fall.

She touched my hand and thanked me. I then turned and lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her hand with reverence, chivalry, gallantness, affection, and respect. I was informed later by someone else that it won her over.

I mentioned to her that I would be attending the VIP party and told her that someone that I did not know was my hero for giving me his other VIP pass for nothing, otherwise I just wouldn’t have been able to afford. Kimberly stunned me with her answer of “We would have hooked you up so that you could come.”

Wow………..

More affection, more hugs, and more kind words and then I was finished. I shouted behind me that everyone needed to move the hell out of my way or suffer being ran over. Everyone parted like the Red Sea and I just kicked it backwards into high gear. I connected with my ride with the family from Richmond and then shortly after that the bar closed and the person on the PA system who was announcing the closure of the bar was being a colossal dickhead about it.

I said good night to Rai and he vowed once more to come by my place some time soon. And again I was not deterred and encouraged him to bring it. Just make sure that Nancy Silva was with him when he did stop by. I am hopeful that he had at least a little bit of seriousness within him. I said farewell and bolted for the doors, hoping to find Nancy Silva to say good night and farewell to her. Even though that I did not want to. I wished I could have kept her here in town forever.

I ran outside and found Nancy Silva just standing on the sidewalk having conversations with others. I sat nearby but didn’t interrupt. Then she said she was leaving to go back to San Antonio. We embraced, I kissed her on the cheek gave her my affections verbally and then BEGGED her to come back sooner than six months.

Then it was onward toward the hotel of my colleagues so that we could get into their vehicle to head to the VIP after party.

We were stopped by two girls who were drunk out of the skull, kissing on Robert. The first girl just pecking his lips but the second girl attempted to start a making out session with Robert but that was all stopped by Robert’s wife thankfully.

People on Sixth Street after 2:00 AM– annoying as hell.

We pilled in and set the GPS system up and took off for the house where the party was being held.